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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23525074">In a State of Nature</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barfily/pseuds/Barfily'>Barfily</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEVENTEEN (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fluff, M/M, Nesting, No Plot/Plotless, Omega Boo Seungkwan, Omega Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:47:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23525074</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barfily/pseuds/Barfily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Seungkwan has a hard time with his heat, so Jihoon ends up helping him with a nest.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Boo Seungkwan &amp; Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>316</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In a State of Nature</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just to get it out of the way:<br/>Alphas: Seungcheol, Jeonghan, Mingyu, Seokmin, Hansol, Chan<br/>Betas: Joshua, Jun, Wonwoo, Minghao<br/>Omegas: Soonyoung, Jihoon, Seungkwan</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Seungkwan</b>:<br/>
Coming home tomorrow?</p><p><b>Hansol</b>:<br/>
damoyee has a show here on friday!<br/>
we got tickets ^^<br/>
I'll be back next week probably</p><p><b>Seungkwan</b>:<br/>
oh fun~~<br/>
^^</p><p>Seungkwan lets the phone drop from his hand to the mattress. </p><p>He's in heat. </p><p>He's been in heat three days, and he has three days left. Seungkwan knew there was going to be overlap when Hansol first announced this family trip, but he had hoped Hansol would make it back before the end. He's been counting down the days, the hours, staring at the door, eyes full of hopeful daydreams of Hansol walking through it, deciding to come home early – !</p><p>That's not going to happen, obviously. Seungkwan's eyes start to burn, and he holds his breath, trying to calm himself down.</p><p>The pure physical need of his body, he's familiar with, and was prepared to suffer through. What he did not anticipate, what he's <i>never</i> experienced, is this deep, profound sense of loneliness. His alpha is staying a whole extra week away. His alpha let him alone. </p><p>
  <i>His alpha forgot him.</i>
</p><p>But it's too late to do anything about it now, and telling Hansol would only make him feel guilty. </p><p>Seungkwan will tell him when he gets back. He plans the conversation in his head, while curling tight around a pillow that has been a poor Hansol substitute all week. </p><p><i>It will be important</i>, Seungkwan imagines himself saying, trying hard to keep the tears from falling as he pushes his face into the pillow. It will be important for Hansol to think about Seungkwan's heat from now on! It's important. </p><p><i>It's really important, okay?</i> Seungkwan will tell him that. </p><p>He doesn't know if he'll be crying or not.</p><p>Seungkwan doesn't mind crying, usually, but right now it feels bad. It just hurts. It doesn't feel like a release because he is suffering, and the tears just make the awful feelings stronger. Crying to Hansol is always a relief, because just being around Hansol makes things feel better. </p><p><i>It will be important for Hansol to remember that from now on</i>, Seungkwan thinks. Because maybe he doesn't know, trying to make sense of why his alpha <i>didn't know</i> it already. </p><p>Hansol doesn't get to spend a lot of time with his grandparents and Seungkwan can appreciate that, and he figured that Hansol had weighed that fact against Seungkwan's heat. He'd thought they'd had a silent understanding, that Hansol had been aware of what Seungkwan was graciously giving up.</p><p>It's sour and painful realizing that Hansol just hadn't thought of it. </p><p>God. Hansol loves him, he knows that. He knows that. But his brain is going haywire. <i>Gone, he left, why did he leave me alone…</i> </p><p><i>Maybe Hansol's tired of it</i>.</p><p>Heats <i>are</i> an imposition, a cold, practical voice says in his mind. Seungkwan gets really demanding. Sometimes he even plays it up. He thought Hansol – didn't mind. Worse than that, he thinks, cheeks burning in embarrassment. He thought – Hansol might think it was – cute? Maybe? That was stupid. </p><p>God, obviously it was stupid. Obviously it'd be annoying, for an omega to be so bratty and cruel. And Seungkwan <i>does</i> get unreasonable when he's in heat. Sometimes nothing Hansol does is good enough, he whines endlessly, needy and pathetic, and that's why Hansol left, that's why he doesn't want to come back. </p><p>He's probably happy Seungkwan didn't bring it up. He must have sighed with relief when Seungkwan didn't say anything about it, didn't ask him to come home, and endure the awful <i>thing</i> Seungkwan becomes. </p><p>Seungkwan lets the sad little sob leak out, because no one's around to hear it anyway, hot tears falling to the pillow. </p><p>These thoughts bounce around his head like thorns, digging into everything they touch, cruel and merciless. <i>Seungkwan, what do you expect?</i> You're so loud. Awful, really. Argumentative, and annoying, he can definitely be annoying, he's heard that more than once. </p><p>He tries to imagine the conversation he'll have with Hansol, now, when he gets back. </p><p>How could Seungkwan work up the nerve to do anything but keep this suffering tucked away? Maybe, instead, he should ask Hansol if Seungkwan can do better during his heats. </p><p>Seungkwan wipes at the tears on his face, still crying, but this is a plan, at least. He'll – he'll ask, and he'll find out if he did anything to make Hansol avoid him. And then he'll fix it. He'll apologize, and he'll be good, he'll be better, so Hansol won't leave him alone again.</p><p>Satisfied with this plan, Sungkwan curls up tighter with the pillow, trying to prepare for these next three days, alone. </p><p>The front door opens. </p><p>Seungkwan sits upright. One of his members is home. His heart beats at a rapid, stupidly excited pace.</p><p><i>It's not Hansol</i>, he tries to coach it down, but it won't listen, hope bobbing again and again in his chest. <i>His alpha wouldn't actually forget him – </i></p><p>"There's long jing tea!"</p><p>Jun, calling down the hall. Seungkwan hears a group of them setting shopping bags on the counters in the kitchen. He hears the murmur of Minghao and Wonwoo's conversation. Not Hansol.</p><p>Feeling needy and pathetic and searching for sympathy, Seungkwan pulls himself from bed and wanders to the kitchen for some tea.</p><p>"Jeez, Seungkwan," Wonwoo says. </p><p>"What's wrong??" Joshua says, startled. "You smell miserable." </p><p>Seungkwan freezes just before making it to the kitchen. He flushes in embarrassment and anger. "It's not like it's my choice!"</p><p>"Aah, Hansol's not here," Wonwoo says, voice going softer with understanding.</p><p> "What about Soonyoung?"</p><p>"With his dad for the weekend," Seungkwan mutters. </p><p>"You want tea, Seungkwannie?" Jun says, already reaching for the bags. "It might help." </p><p>It might, but Minghao, standing behind him, turned his head, trying to hide that he's literally using his sleeve to cover his nose.</p><p>"<i>No</i>," Seungkwan says, not caring if it sounds sullen and bratty, turning back to hide away in the heat room, waving away their offers to bring him tea later.</p><p>An upset omega can have a potent scent, and upset omega in heat is impossible to ignore. He shouldn't take it personally, but in the quiet loneliness of the heat room, all he has to keep him company is rejection and embarrassment.</p><p>x</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
can you come to the studio?</p><p><b>Seungkwan</b>:<br/>
what<br/>
to record?<br/>
Now?</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
yeah<br/>
just the initial take<br/>
the schedule changed</p><p>There's no answer for a while, long enough that Jihoon starts to actually wonder, with some detached annoyance, what he'll do if Seungkwan says no. </p><p>They don’t have to be perfect, but he needs to hear Seungkwan's vocals first. Everything else that follows is going to be modeled off the decisions he makes in his verses, and Jihoon can't direct the rest of them properly until he's heard what Seungkwan is going to do. </p><p>If Seungkwan isn't going to come in, then the rest of Jihoon’s day is wasted. </p><p><b>Seungkwan</b>:<br/>
fine<br/>
40 min</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
okay</p><p>Normally, Jihoon would thank him for this, because Seungkwan wasn't supposed to come in until next week. But he's irritated at how long Seungkwan left him waiting, and that he was obviously considering saying no. </p><p>Part of his irritation, though, should be directed at Seokmin, and he knows it. Because Seokmin is, of course, the other main voice of this piece, and was supposed to go first. Unfortunately, Seokmin was having an off day. Not his voice, but his confidence was shaky from the start, in a way it hasn't been in a while. He overreacted to Jihoon's notes, over corrected, agonizing and pushing himself harder and harder until Jihoon could only listen in silence, because anything he said would've sent Seokmin spiraling. </p><p>Jihoon's frustration has been simmering at a low broil for a while by the time Seungkwan shows up. </p><p>He knocks shortly, and makes his own annoyance clear by his brisk movements, taking off his jacket, walking by Jihoon's desk into the studio without a word </p><p>"Are you done warming up?" Jihoon presses the button to ask.</p><p>"Almost," Seungkwan says, putting on the headphones. </p><p>"Finish up. I'll be back," Jihoon says. He leaves to stretch his legs, take a brief trip to the bathroom, then refill his bottled water. He doesn't think much of this break, he's been at his desk several hours in a row at this point, but when he returns to the studio he can see it's made Seungkwan's mood even worse.</p><p>Logically, Jihoon understands. Jihoon interrupted Seungkwan's day, asked him to come down to the studio, and then wasn't even ready when he arrived. Sure. But in his own bad mood, Jihoon can only focus on how much work he's put into not just today, but the song as a whole.</p><p>"Ready?" Seungkwan asks, snippish. </p><p>"Warmed up?" Jihoon replies, just as cold.</p><p>They stare at each other through the glass, not quite glaring, but they can read each other well enough. Jihoon knows that raise of Seungkwan's eyebrow. </p><p>Jihoon clears his throat, too impatient to entertain this for long.  He turns on the track. "You're first. From the start."</p><p>Seungkwan nods shortly. He takes a deep, calming breath, and it's a fascinating thing, to watch the annoyance ease from Seungkwan's frame, like it's politely stepping to the side, patiently waiting its turn. </p><p>The first take is fine. Jihoon gives a few notes. Seungkwan nods, and they go again. The atmosphere has calmed, if only out of professional necessity. </p><p>"Stop," he says, interrupting Seungkwan's fourth take. Jihoon's in the zone, not even looking up from his notes, opening his mouth to tell Seungkwan he needs to go at the next line softer than the energy he's clearly prepared to belt it at. </p><p>"<i>What?</i>" Seungkwan's voice is a cold snap.</p><p>Jihoon looks up. Seungkwan has both hands on the headphones, and he's furious. Jihoon pauses the track. He tries to keep his tone as calm and frank as possible. </p><p>"I want some softer takes on the next line."</p><p>It doesn't do anything to quell Seungkwan's anger, and Jihoon watches Seungkwan try to figure out how to turn that into a fight. He can't. </p><p>"Fine," Seungkwan says. </p><p>Jihoon rolls his eyes, Seungkwan is seething, there's no way he'll get the kind of tone this song needs. It's the exact same situation as Seokmin. </p><p>At least with Seungkwan, Jihoon doesn’t have to sugarcoat anything. </p><p>"Never mind. Let's call it a day and stop wasting each other's time."</p><p>Seungkwan stares at him, eyes cold with fury. Until they go glassy, and his face crumples, and he’s suddenly, silently, crying. </p><p>"Wha - Seungkwan, what?"</p><p>Seungkwan doesn't answer, looking away, pulling off the headphones.</p><p>"Seungkwan?" Jihoon asks, walking around the desk, opening the recording room door. </p><p>Oh god. He missed it, Seungkwan walked so quickly by his desk before. In this cramped room, it's obvious. </p><p>Seungkwan is in heat. </p><p>"Seungkwan," Jihoon sighs. </p><p>"<i>What?</i>" Seungkwan demands, trying to make his voice mean, and failing when it wobbles. </p><p>Jihoon doesn't know. He dithers. Seungkwan is good at comforting people. Seungkwan has comforted Jihoon in the past. He uses physical touch to do it, and he probably wants physical touch now. He smells desperately <i>sad</i>. </p><p>"Hansol's been gone all week.. "</p><p>"I <i>know</i> he has!" Seungkwan bites out. He's still crying. Jihoon is nervous to leave his perch at the door and go deeper into the recording space. </p><p>"Are you okay?"</p><p>Seungkwan laughs, like this is the dumbest question he's ever heard. Jihoon just waits for his answer, though he shifts from foot to foot, a little embarrassed. Jihoon has had heats, but because he doesn't have a mate, they're not as strong as they could be. He's not waiting for any alpha in particular, he doesn't depend on any, except maybe Seungcheol.</p><p>"Do you want Seungcheol?" he asks. Then, more uncertain, "Mingyu..?"</p><p>"<i>No</i>," Seungkwan says. "I'm fine. Everything's fine. I'm – going back to the heat room. Alright?"</p><p>Jihoon almost jumps out of the way as Seungkwan walks by, grabs his coat, and leaves. </p><p>Jihoon stares after him, feeling pathetic. </p><p>He looks after his dongsaeng with gifts. He buys them meals and things they say they want. The many, many times Seungkwan has been there for him – Seungkwan's not perfect, but Jihoon's never <i>left the room</i> feeling even worse than when Seungkwan started comforting him.</p><p>He has no idea how to help, but feels the burden of inescapable knowledge that he should. That he has to figure this out. He's an omega. He's Seungkwan's hyung. He doesn't have anyone else right now. Hansol's gone, and so is Soonyoung, who might be a better fit for this.</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
when are you coming back</p><p><b>Hansol</b>:<br/>
Next week<br/>
Why?<br/>
Is there a problem?</p><p>Jihoon pauses. He doesn't want to meddle in their business. There's probably a reason why Seungkwan hasn't said anything. He closes that conversation and opens another.</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
what helps an omega in heat when they don't have an alpha</p><p><b>Jeonghan</b>:<br/>
Why this suddenly??<br/>
Are we talking about you??</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
no<br/>
when an omega's alpha's not there </p><p><b>Jeonghan</b>:<br/>
aaaah<br/>
seungkwannie?<br/>
Seungcheolie could help</p><p><b>Jihoon</b>:<br/>
he didn't want him</p><p><b>Jeonghan</b>:<br/>
Hmmmm~<br/>
I think he'll just have to get through it on his own then...<br/>
unless you want to nest with him?</p><p>Jihoon cringes. </p><p>Neither he or Soonyoung nest, really. Not unless something crazy happens. Seungkwan is a nester, he does it constantly, building neat and intricate nests, and then dragging various members into them. Jihoon's joined in a few times as a pack thing, and more often as an omega thing – there's always been multiple people in here, never one on one.</p><p>It's possible Seungkwan won't even want him to join his nest. If he's rejecting Seungcheol, Jihoon can't imagine himself being any better. But he decides he ought to try, at least. </p><p>Still feeling a little awkward about how the scene in the studio played out, Jihoon knocks on the heat room door instead of just walking in. It's not much of a courtesy because Seungkwan doesn't answer, so Jihoon just walks in anyway.</p><p>"Sorry," Seungkwan bites out before Jihoon can say hello. He's trying to sound angry but his smell gives him away. He's devastated. He looks it, too, the skin around his eyes rubbed red, sitting in the middle of the oversized bed used for heats. He looks small.</p><p>"No," Jihoon says, his confidence in being any use here, already weak to begin with, evaporates almost entirely away. He finishes in a mumble, "I thought, ah. I could help. Maybe."</p><p>Seungkwan looks not just surprised, but confused at the very idea. "Help?"</p><p>"With your nest," he says, awkwardly.</p><p>Seungkwan sniffles once, looking around the bed. It's then Jihoon notices the distinct lack of carefully, intricately shaped blankets or pillows. He... hasn't nested? </p><p>"I just – " Seungkwan sounds overwhelmed, tears starting up again as he stares down at his open hands in his lap.  Seungkwan is nearly always put together - even when he's crying, it's often because he, in fact, <i>wants</i> to be crying. He's savvy, he knows how to lean into bad situations, at least try to get them in his favor. He's not trying now. Truly out of sorts, he looks especially young, and hopeless, and his voice sounds the same, lost and defeated. "No one's - no one's here. There's no point."</p><p>Jihoon is speechless. </p><p>It comes in a tidal wave, sudden and all encompassing. It's not the first time he's felt the urge, but the first time it’s been this strong. This is <i>wrong</i>, wrong enough that it's activated some latent programming in Jihoon's mind. Seungkwan, who is Jihoon's  – his, Jihoon's, to take care of. Is not being taken care of. Seungkwan should be safely nesting, <i>why isn't he in a nest??</i></p><p>In the right sort of mind this might be embarrassing, but all Jihoon can feel is rising, urgent impatience that it's not done <i>already</i>, and there's no time to waste. He grabs the spare blankets, as many as he can carry, dumping them on the bed.</p><p>"… Hyung?" Seungkwan asks, laughing in disbelief. Jihoon doesn't answer, he just pushes Seungkwan until his back touches the wall, directing him further into a corner. The  safest, most protected spot for Seungkwan to be. He drops a blanket on his lap, pulling it up to his shoulders, covering him. The compulsion only grows stronger, so Jihoon drops a second blanket, then a third, burying Seungkwan as best he can. </p><p><i>There</i>.  </p><p>Jihoon might not be able to stop Seungkwan from crying, from being sad, but he’s made sure he’s safe. </p><p>The blankets don't really smell like Jihoon, though. He frowns, annoyed. But he can fix that, once the nest is complete. </p><p>His nests are always clumsy looking, like a cookie that's been decorated by a child, piled on with frosting. The blankets spill everywhere, they stack haphazardly, and Jihoon can see this, but to his eye, it is exactly how it should be. </p><p>"Jihoon," Seungkwan's wrapped himself properly in the blanket, over his head, tucked under his chin, obscuring the lower half of his face so all Jihoon can really see are his eyes, bright with a smile. Seungkwan smells happier – good. But he doesn't smell like Jihoon at all, and this is just – unsettling. </p><p>Apparently understanding Jihoon's urge better than Jihoon does, Seungkwan opens his arms, pulling Jihoon into the blanket. </p><p>Good, Jihoon thinks, nuzzling against Seungkwan properly. This is the best, most efficient way of getting the nest, and his Seungkwannie, smelling like they should. </p><p>"I've never heard you purr before," Seungkwan says, voice soft with surprise.</p><p>Jihoon has purred in the past, but all the times he can remember are too embarrassing to talk about, so he doesn't say anything. He just keeps the rattling purr going,  nuzzling Seungkwan's neck, closing his eyes. It's warm, and Seungkwan is soft and smells happy, finally. </p><p>Jihoon likes Seungkwan's smell, and he knows alphas do, too. He's heard them talk about it as Seungkwan walks by, how he smells like a treat ready to melt in their mouth. The memory makes Jihoon feel huffy and annoyed. Seungkwan joins his purr, a soothing, husky sound he's well familiar with, successfully distracting from the darker feelings. Jihoon hugs him tighter as the two of them lay on their sides. It's easy to fall asleep like this, drifting in and out. The day blurs into night, then into morning, and Jihoon knows this has triggered his own heat, but it's an easy, pleasant thing. Just an additional warmth between them to be shared. </p><p>"You're back early," he hears Seungkwan's voice, especially husky with sleep, saying.</p><p>Hansol's hand is cold, resting briefly on Jihoon's shoulder, then disappearing. Jihoon doesn't open his eyes, but imagines they're kissing hello.</p><p>"Sorry," Hansol says. "I forgot."</p><p>Seungkwan sighs, so very heavily – he so obviously wants to be annoyed, but can't quite keep it up. "I know."</p><p>"Do you want – I can join you, or.. ?"</p><p>"No, that's alright," Seungkwan says, nuzzling into Jihoon. "I'm good here right now."</p><p>"Okay," Hansol says, softly. Another quiet moment between the two of them. A fond touch to the top of Jihoon's head, and then Hansol leaves. Which is fine, because even half awake, Jihoon knows Seungkwan is right, they’re good right where they are. </p>
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